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Author Notes:Roasted pork shoulder is not something that my mother ever made, but it has become part of our family classics now. I am not sure if it is the crispy sweet outside layer of the roast or the succulent tender meat that is laying underneath that calls to us time and time again. The mustard ginger sauce adds just the right amount of pucker to the savory sweet of the meat. This sauce is a perfect marriage to the pork, but have used it on a countless number of food. Whether tossing roasted veggies in it or dipping my panini in this tangy sauce, I love it. —MyCommunalTable

Food52 Review: This Asian take on pork shoulder was a success in my kitchen. The sweet smoky flavor of the five-spice powder plays well with the complex zing of the mustard ginger sauce. I used five tablespoons of honey in the versatile, addictive sauce, which made it perfectly balanced for my palate. This is a great recipe for casual entertaining -- quick and easy preparation with a lovely presentation. My extended family, including my 6-year-old niece Sofia, enjoyed this dish for Sunday dinner. NOTE: The recipe calls for approximately 5 hours of cook time. I used a 4.2 pound pork shoulder and when I checked it after 3 hours, the temperature was over 170. The meat was still tender but I’m quite sure it would’ve been quite crispy after 5 hours in my oven. - mariaraynal —The Editors

Serves: 4-6

Roasted Pork Shoulder

4-5
pounds pork shoulder

1
cup sugar

1
cup salt

3-4
tablespoons Chinese five spice

1/4
cup brown sugar

Combine sugar and salt, then spread over entire pork shoulder.

Cover with foil and place in fridge for 8-12 hours.

Pull from fridge and rinse off all the salt and sugar.

Pat dry and rub Chinese five spice all over roast.

Place pork in roasting pan and stick in an oven set at 300F for approximently 5 hours.

Pull out of oven and turn up oven to 500F.

Rub roast with brown sugar and stick back in oven.

Pull out roast when the sugar gets crusty and melty.

Mustard Ginger Sauce

1/2
cup yellow mustard

1/2
cup apple cider vinegar

3-6
tablespoons honey

1
teaspoon sirracha

2
tablespoons ginger

2
gloves garlic

3
tablespoons water

2
tablespoons vegetable oil

1
teaspoon sesame oil

Place everything except the sesame oil in a small sauce pan.

Start out with 3 T. of honey. Add more to lessen the pucker of the sauce. It tastes a lot different next to the richness of the pork. I like it both ways. 2 T. of ginger = 2 inch piece of the root. I just slice the ginger when I put in the pot.

Great pork recipe! I used a tiny (5lbs) picnic shoulder for 5 hours @ 300 and let it cool and then did the brown sugar @ 500 for 20 minutes. It was quite possibly the tastiest pork shoulder we've ever had (and we've tried tons)! The family didn't really go for the ginger mustard sauce but I think I messed it up somehow.

Thanks so much John_52. I make this recipe time and time again. Just made it last week. I have also used a ginger scallion sauce (via David Chang) or some Korean gochujang sauce as well as the ginger mustard sauce. I like offering a variety.

This is a great recipe. I had a 6.5 pound shoulder so I roasted it for about 7 hours so it was falling off the bone tender. The flavor of the pork with the combination of 5 spice and brown sugar are wonderful. The tang of the mustard sauce adds to the success of this dish. Thank you, MyCommunalTable!

I am so glad that the tester liked the pork shoulder recipe. As of the 3 hours versus 5 hours of cooking time. I never use a thermometer when cooking a pork shoulder. After 3 hours the meat is cooked, but all the connective tissue and fat is not broken down enough for this inexpensive cut of meat. Momofuku's pork roast of the same size recipe calls for six hours at the same temp. I know when it is done when it is falling apart. I like to be able to pull the bone out of the center of the meat with my bear hands. It needs time to do that. Your call about how you like your meat cooked.

Looking forward to making this! But the smallest roast available at my store was bout 7.5 lbs. I assume it will need some longer cooking? Is there an internal temp I'm aiming for? Also, it would be helpful if the recipe specified bone-in or not (mine's bone-in). Also, trim the skin? I think not, but welcome guidance. Thanks!